Lesson Plans   Scatter Square Dancing Primary Subject Area:  Health Education Grade Level:  11 Overview: The number of people who are obese or overweight has reached epidemic levels in the United States. The behaviors that lead to obesity as an adult are established during childhood and adolescent years. As stated in Healthy People 2010, young people should incorporate moderate physical activity into their lives most days of the week and limit television watching and playing computer or video games. Moderate physical activity is any activity that speeds the heart rate and makes a person breathe harder. By participating in scatter square dancing, students will engage in moderate physical activity. Additionally, students will explore the number of calories used when participating in various physical activities. This lesson can be used to teach nutrition, health and physical activity related topics. Approximate Duration:  2 - 3 fifty-minute class periods Content Standards: Standard 1      Students will comprehend concepts and strategies related to health promotion and disease prevention. Benchmarks: 1-H-1      analyze the impact of behavior on health maintenance and disease prevention; (1,2,3,4,5) Interdisciplinary Connections:   Physical Education : Standard 3      Exhibits a physically active lifestyle. Physical Education : Standard 7      Understands that physical activity provides opportunities for enjoyment, challenge, self-expression, and social interaction. Educational Technology Standards:   Use technology tools and resources for managing and communicating personal/professional information (e.g., finances, schedules, addresses, purchases, correspondence). ( 1, 3 ) Use appropriate technology to locate, retrieve, organize, analyze, evaluate, and communicate information for problem solving and decision making. ( 1, 2, 4 ) Objectives: The student will: identify the importance of incorporating physical activity into daily activity, demonstrate the basic skills of scatter square dancing, actively participate in scatter square dancing to develop lifelong physical activity habits, determine the calories burned while participating in various physical activities, and express enjoyment in physical activity. Lesson Materials and Resources: Square dance or country music Adequate space to safely perform movements Technology Tools and Materials: Hardware: Computer with Internet acess if software is not available Software: Nutrition Connection Websites: •Calorie Control Council       www.caloriecontrol.org Other: Tape or CD player Background Information: Regular physical activity is good for one’s health and helps prevent obesity and overweight. Lesson Procedures: Ask the students: “Why is it important to participate in moderate physical activity every day?" Possible answers include: Controls weight Contributes to healthy bones, muscles and joints Gives us energy Helps students to be more productive Provides enjoyment! Ask the students: “What types of physical activities do they enjoy?" Inform the students that today they will participate in a dance activity. Activity: Scatter Square Dance Equipment: Square dance music or country music Adequate space for entire class to safely perform movements Begin the scatter square dance activity by teaching the students the basic movements: Keep time to the music—clap, snap, slap to the beat of the music Turn one alone: turn around in place Hit the lonesome trail: walk around the activity area( always called after 1 or 2 calls. This keeps the group always changing) Corral: stop in place—stomp foot, clap hands Lasso: stop in place—stomp foot, circle one hand overhead Tumble weed: sit and spin on the floor Snake behind: (call 1 student’s name): the others follow behind the identified person and place their hands on the hips of those in front of them. Pony Express: do the activity they are doing in double time Cyclone: while walking, turn 2 times around and continue walking Circle up all: everyone joins hands and walks in a circle to the right For variation, use partner formation Honor your partner: partners face each other and bow Circle up two: join both hands with another person and skip around in a circle. Promenade: join one hand with another person and walk around the room Do-Si-Do: Face partner and pass right shoulder to right shoulder walking forward Elbow turn: Hook either right or left elbow with a partner and turn around in a circle Horse and jockey: partners are one behind the other with the back person’s hands on the front person’s shoulders. Gallop/walk around the space. London Bridge: two people form an arch with their hands held high in the air. All the other pairs go under the arch. Allemande left: Join left hands together and walk in a circle around each other and back to the original position. Allemande right: join right hands together and walk in a circle around each other and back to the original position. Begin music. The caller (teacher) calls the steps in any random order. Wait for everyone to do the call correctly before moving to a new call. Teacher should discuss with the students these points: Physical activity is limited to physical education class for many students. It is beneficial to expand the program to promote organized physical activity at other times throughout the school day or after school. It is recommended that students receive 60 minutes of daily physical activity, including 30 minutes of moderate physical activity. Set up a walk and talk club at recess. Encourage the students to walk around the play yard while talking with friends instead of sitting. With the help of the PTA, set up a fitness trail or outdoor track around the school for students as a place to walk or run. Take a 2-minute physical activity break between lessons or play a popular song and let students dance, hop, skip, jump or run in place. Walk the stairs whenever possible. Plan a Saturday morning fun run/walk. Arrange an after school aerobics or exercise class. Students will compare the calories expended doing various activities throughout the day. This can be done using software such as Nutrition Connection. The software has an exercise calculator segment within the Energy Analyzer section. If software is not available, use resources in the library or on the Internet at the Calorie Control Council http://www.caloriecontrol.org. Use the Get Moving! Calculator (Exercise Calculator) on the Calorie Control Council website. Assessment Procedures: Teacher observations Rubric developed to assess participation in scatter square dancing. Printouts of graphs from the exercise calculator program in Nutrition Connection. Accommodations/Modifications: Adapt physical activity for each child’s specific limitations. Consider different learning styles and abilities when planning this lesson.           ----- written by Division of Nutrition Assistance Reproducible Materials: Scatter Square Dancing Rubric Explorations and Extensions: May is Health Month. Teachers could partner with other teachers, administration, child nutrition staff, and parents to conduct or demonstrate scatter square dancing at a health fair. Lesson Development Resources: Child and Adolescent Trial for Cardiovascular Health (CATCH). "Physical Education Curriculum, Go For Health Series" 2002 Nutrition Connection [CD-ROM]. (1999). Long Valley, NJ: The Nutrition Company. Reflections: What a fun lesson! The students in the class are having a ball! Contact Information: Division of Nutrition Assistance http://www.louisianaschools.net/lde/nutrition/1667.html Louisiana Department of Education Additional Contacts: Group:  Division of Nutrition Assistance MarcoPolo Lesson:  No Best Practices Do you have any comments or suggestions to share about this lesson? Would you like to view what others have experienced? Add or View Teacher Comments.

© 2002 Home | About MC | Builder | Search | Feedback LA Content Standards | Lesson Plans | Web Site Resources | Statewide Assessment